Albion POV
After Kuroka went to sleep, I sat cross-legged on my bed and closed my eyes, I decided to contact Irene before tomorrow morning—this reunion between mother and daughter needed to be handled carefully. I reached out with my magical senses toward the forest where Irene lived. The telepathic connection I'd learned from her during our training sessions activated easily.
'Irene-sensei, can you hear me?'
There was a moment of silence before her familiar mental voice responded, tinged with surprise. 'Albion? Why are you contacting me at this time of night? Are you in danger?'
'I'm fine. I'm in Magnolia now—I joined the Fairy Tail guild earlier today. Irene-sensei, there's something important I need to tell you. Erza Scarlet is here.'
The mental silence stretched so long I wondered if the connection had been severed. Finally, she responded, her mental voice barely a whisper. 'Erza... my daughter... she's there?'
'Yes. She's a member of Fairy Tail, and when I mentioned that I knew you, she... she wants to see you, Irene. She thought you were dead.'
'Perhaps it would be better if she continued to think so.' Her response was immediate, filled with old pain and self-doubt. 'She has built a life for herself, found a family. What need does she have for a mother who failed her so completely?'
'Irene,' I said firmly, putting as much conviction into the telepathic message as I could. 'She never stopped loving you. When I told her you were alive, she cried. She NEEDS to see you, and I think... I think you need to see her too.'
Another long pause. 'What if she rejects me? What if she sees me and remembers only the monster I became?'
'Then we'll deal with that together. But Irene, she deserves the chance to make that choice herself. And you deserve the chance to see the incredible woman your daughter has become.'
I felt her considering this, the mental equivalent of a heavy sigh flowing through our connection. 'You really think... you believe she wants to see me?'
'I know she does. Will you meet with us? Just the three of us, somewhere private where you'll both feel safe?'
'I... yes. Yes, bring her to the cottage tomorrow. But Albion, if this goes poorly...'
'It won't. Trust me, Irene-sensei. Trust her.'
'Very well. I'll be waiting.'
After telling her a little bit about Erza, the connection faded, leaving me sitting alone on my bed in the morning light. A few minutes later, I laid down on my bdand went to sleep.
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nexr morning
The morning after joining Fairy Tail, I woke up early and stepped outside our new house. The sun was just beginning to rise over Magnolia, painting the sky in soft pastels. After Kuroka and I had breakfast, I heard movement from inside the house and knew Erza was waking up. It was time.
When I went back inside, I found Erza already dressed in her usual armor, but I could see the tension in her shoulders—she had barely slept, that much was obvious from the way she carried herself. Still proud and strong, but with an underlying nervousness that spoke of a sleepless night spent wrestling with emotions."Good morning," I said softly. "Ready for today?"
She nodded, though I could see the mix of anticipation and anxiety in her eyes. "Did you... have you spoken with her?"
"Yes. She's waiting for us at her cottage. She's nervous too, Erza. She's been afraid that you wouldn't want to see her."
Erza's expression softened slightly. "After all this time, she thought I wouldn't want to see her?"
"She loves you more than you know. She's just scared of disappointing you again."
We made our way through the forest outside Magnolia, Kuroka flying silently beside us as we approached the familiar clearing where Irene lived.
"I need to see her," Erza replied, her voice steady but quieter than usual. "I need to know."
Kuroka flew silently beside us, sensing the gravity of the moment. As we neared the small cottage nestled among the ancient trees, I could already feel Irene's magical presence—and her nervousness. It was radiating from her like heat from a flame.
I knocked gently on the wooden door. "Irene, it's me. I brought someone to see you."
The door opened slowly, revealing Irene in her human form. Her crimson hair was longer now, reaching past her shoulders, and she wore a simple green dress that made her look more like a village healer than the fearsome Scarlet Despair of legend or the Scarlet Despair I remember from my past life. But her hands were trembling slightly.
"Albion, I..." she began, then stopped as her eyes fell on Erza.
For a long moment, neither woman moved. They simply stared at each other, taking in the changes that time and separation had wrought.
"Mother," Erza whispered, the word carrying centuries of longing and pain.
Irene's composure cracked completely. Tears began flowing freely down her cheeks as she stepped forward, her hands reaching out before stopping midway, uncertainty written across her features.
"Erza... my beautiful daughter. You've grown so strong, so magnificent." Her voice was thick with emotion. "I... I hardly dared to hope I would ever see you again."
"I thought you were dead," Erza said, her own voice beginning to waver. "At the Tower of Heaven, when everything collapsed, I thought..."
"I destroyed that cursed place," Irene said fiercely, maternal fury flashing in her eyes. "When I learned what they had done to you, what they had put you through... I couldn't let it stand."
"That was you," Erza breathed, understanding dawning in her eyes. "You saved us all."
"I tried to save you sooner," Irene whispered, shame creeping into her voice. "But by the time I learned where you were, by the time I could take human form again... I thought perhaps you were better off without me. Without the monster I had become."
"You're not a monster," Erza said firmly, taking a step closer. "You're my mother."
That simple declaration broke whatever restraint Irene had left. She rushed forward and wrapped Erza in a desperate embrace, four centuries of separation pouring out in her sobs.
"I'm so sorry," Irene whispered against Erza's shoulder. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you, couldn't be there for you..."
"You're here now," Erza replied, her own tears finally falling as she returned the embrace. "That's what matters."
I felt Kuroka settle on my shoulder as we watched the reunion, both of us giving the mother and daughter the space they needed. After several minutes, they finally separated, though Irene kept her hands on Erza's shoulders as if afraid she might disappear.
"Look at you," Irene murmured, pride shining through her tears. "You've become everything I dreamed you could be. A knight, a protector, someone who stands for justice and guards those who cannot guard themselves."
"I learned that from you," Erza said softly. "Even though we were apart, your lessons about protecting others stayed with me."
Irene's smile was radiant. "Would... would you like to come inside? I could make tea, and we could... talk?"
"I'd like that very much."
As we settled inside the cozy cottage, I could see both women beginning to relax. The initial shock and overwhelming emotion were giving way to curiosity and the tentative joy of reunion.
"Albion has told me about your magic," Irene said as she prepared tea with practiced grace. "Requip magic, is it? Very practical for someone in your line of work."
"Yes, though I've been studying enchantment magic as well. What little I could find, anyway."
Irene's eyes lit up. "Enchantment magic? That's wonderful! It was always my specialty, even before... before I became what I was. I would be honored to teach you properly, if you'd like."
"Really?" Erza's excitement was unmistakable.
"Of course! And Albion here still has much to learn as well. I could teach you both advanced techniques—separation enchantments, personality enchantments, spatial enchantments. The possibilities are endless."
I grinned. "I'd appreciate that, Irene-sensei."
"Sensei?" Irene laughed, a sound like silver bells. "I suppose I am your teacher, aren't I? Very well then, we shall make this a proper magical education."
We spent the next hour talking, sharing stories, and beginning to heal the wounds that separation had carved into both women's hearts. Irene was particularly fascinated to hear about Fairy Tail and the family Erza had found there.
"Perhaps I could visit sometime," Irene said tentatively. "I would very much like to meet the people who have cared for my daughter all these years."
"I think they'd like that," Erza replied. "Master Makarov especially—he has a soft spot for reuniting families."
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Later that afternoon
We had returned to Fairy Tail's training grounds behind the guild hall. Irene had agreed to come with us, though she seemed a bit nervous about meeting so many new people at once. For now, she was content to observe from the sidelines with Kuroka while Erza and I prepared to spar.
"I want to see what you can do," Erza said as she requipped into her Heart Kreuz armor. "Albion, show me the magic that impressed Laxus enough to back down yesterday."
I grinned, feeling the familiar thrill of an upcoming battle. "Are you sure about that? I don't want to hurt Irene's daughter on our first day training together."
Erza's smile was sharp. "Try me."
I didn't bother with any armor—my clothes made from dragon materials would provide sufficient protection for a friendly spar. Instead, I simply took a ready stance and called upon my magic.
"[Wood Dragon: Forest Guardian's Grasp]!"
Massive vines erupted from the ground around Erza, but she was already moving, her sword flashing as she cut through them with surgical precision. Her movement was fluid, economical—every motion perfectly calculated.
"Impressive," I admitted, then raised my hands. "[Water Dragon: Torrential Pressure]!"
A massive wave of water surged toward her, but Erza simply requipped.
"[Requip: Water Empress Armor]!"
The water parted around her as if she were a ship's prow cutting through the ocean. She launched herself through the divided wave, sword aimed directly at my heart.
I sidestepped and countered with "[Moon Dragon: Crescent Blade]!" A blade of concentrated moonlight formed in my hand, meeting her sword in a shower of sparks.
"Your swordplay is excellent," Erza noted as we locked blades. "Who taught you?"
"My brother Kurnugi, the sword saint dragon," I replied, then pivoted and swept her legs with a low kick enhanced by [Sky Dragon Slayer magic].
Erza leaped over the sweep and requipped mid-air into her Lightning Empress armor, bringing down a devastating overhead strike crackling with electricity.
I caught the blade between my palms, channeling [White Dragon Slayer magic] to absorb the lightning using a modified version of [white out]. "My turn."
"[Sage Dragon: Elemental Fusion]!"
I combined three elements at once—moon, water, and wood—creating a technique I'd been working on. Moonlight-infused water formed into crystalline constructs that sprouted wooden thorns, creating a prison of beautiful, deadly art around Erza.
"Magnificent," I heard Irene whisper from the sidelines.
But Erza wasn't finished. "[Requip: Armadura Fairy]!"
Golden light exploded from her as she donned her most powerful armor, shattering my construct with pure magical force. She raised her massive sword overhead.
"[Fairy Sword: Pentagram Sword]!"
Five beams of golden light converged on my position. I crossed my arms and channeled all seven of my dragon slayer magics into a defensive technique.
"[Dragon Emperor's Barrier]!"
The collision sent shockwaves through the training ground, kicking up dust and debris. When it settled, we were both still standing, though breathing hard.
"Incredible," Erza said, genuine admiration in her voice. "I've never seen anyone use so many different magics so fluidly."
"And I've never fought anyone who could adapt so quickly," I replied, offering her a hand up from where the final explosion had knocked her down. "Your tactical thinking is amazing."
From the sidelines, Irene was practically glowing with pride. "Both of you are extraordinary. Erza, your growth has exceeded even my wildest dreams. And Albion, the way you weave different magical elements together... it's like watching an artist paint with power itself."
"Speaking of magic," Kuroka called out as she flew over to us, "I want to show off too, nya!"
"Oh, this should be good," I said with a grin as Kuroka landed in the center of the training ground.
"I've been working on new techniques while Albion was making friends," she announced proudly. "Watch this, nya!"
She raised her small paws and began gathering magical energy. "[Lightning Magic: Thunder Cat's Roar]!"
A massive bolt of lightning erupted from her mouth—not quite on the level of a dragon's roar, but impressive for someone her size. The lightning carved a trench in the ground and left the air smelling of ozone.
"Excellent control," Erza noted. "Lightning magic is notoriously difficult to master."
"That's nothing," Kuroka said with a grin. "Check this out, nya! [Transformation Magic: Nekomata Form]!"
Dark magical energy swirled around her as her form began to change. When the light faded, a tall, elegant woman with cat ears and two tails stood where the small exceed had been. She wore an ornate black kimono with golden trim, and her eyes glowed with an inner fire.
"Impressive," Irene breathed. "True transformation magic of that caliber is extremely rare."
"I learned from the best," Kuroka said in her new form, her voice now sultry and mature. "Albion taught me the fundamentals, but I developed this form myself."
She demonstrated her increased magical capacity by creating complex illusions around us—phantom battles between mythical creatures, dancing lights that told stories, even a perfect replica of the Fairy Tail guild hall that shimmered like a mirage.
"[Illusion Magic: Theater of Dreams]," she announced as her illusions wove together into a spectacular display.
"Amazing," Erza said, clearly impressed. "The level of detail in these illusions is incredible."
"And they're not just for show," Kuroka said with a mischievous smile. She gestured, and her phantom creatures began moving with apparent substance, picking up real objects and interacting with the environment.
"Semi-real illusions," I realized. "Kuroka, when did you learn to do that?"
"I've been practicing in secret," she admitted, looking pleased with our reactions. "I wanted to surprise you."
After a few more minutes of showing off, Kuroka transformed back into her normal form and flew over to perch on my shoulder, looking quite satisfied with herself.
"Well," Irene said as she approached us, "I can see that you've both found truly remarkable companions. Erza, your strength and skill speak to the exceptional training you've received. And Albion, Kuroka... you two clearly bring out the best in each other."
"Thank you, Irene-sensei," I said. "So, when do we start those enchantment lessons?"
"How about tomorrow?" she suggested. "I have so much I want to teach you both. Advanced techniques that could revolutionize how you approach magic entirely."
"I look forward to it," Erza said, and for the first time since I'd known her, she looked truly, completely happy.
As we headed back toward the guild hall, I couldn't help but smile. Not only had we successfully reunited mother and daughter, but we'd gained a teacher who could help us reach new heights of magical ability.
"Hey Albion," Kuroka whispered in my ear. "Think we'll be ready for Tortus after Irene-sensei's training?"
"I think we'll be more than ready," I whispered back. "We'll be unstoppable."
The sun was setting over Magnolia, painting the sky in shades of red and gold, and for the first time since arriving in this era, everything felt like it was falling perfectly into place.